First incident responders are being attacked by individuals specifically targeting their heads, faces and necks.
It is our uniformed patrol and security forces that face the greatest threats, because they are on duty every day, yet they have the least amount of protective equipment.
The three most deadly situations faced by Law Enforcement Officers are the Traffic Stop, Domestic Violence call and Unknown Trouble/Check Subject call. However, these officers working uniformed patrol do not have any protection that is immediately available to them as they approach potentially deadly situations.
Ballistic vests do not protect the head, face or neck.
Ballistic vests do not protect against edged weapon attacks.
All law enforcement officers; Federal, State and local are faced with potentially deadly challenges during every call for service. They are called upon to immediately respond to violent threats; i.e.: School Shootings, Barricaded Gunman, Bomb Threats . . . . Setting up a perimeter around the area, while waiting for Special Tactics Teams to arrive is no longer appropriate or acceptable. The general public now expects and demands that our First Incident Responders be equipped, trained and react to all Active Violent Incidents (AVI), without delay.
Gang members, armed criminals, emotionally violent offenders and terrorists have targeted Law Enforcement officers with more sophisticated equipment, tactics and training. Prison inmates, gang members and terrorists have been observed training and communicating on how to take out our countries first incident responders. Information that gang members have been communicating that if confronted by the police, to “shoot at the white triangle”. This “white triangle” is referring to the patch of white t-shirt that shows at the officer's neck. Basically, they are training to shoot officers in the head, face, or neck. Armed assailants, criminals and most civilians understand that police officers wear ballistic vests. This “common knowledge”, has increasingly created a more lethal work environment for our countries law enforcement officers. Additionally, information has been intercepted that another tactic is lure police officers into an area where Molotov Cocktails can be used against them.
Patrol duty has always left officers at a great disadvantage, because of the reactive nature of police work. In an instant, officers are required to make split second, life or death decisions, based on what the other person does or doesn't do. From traffic stops, to school shootings, to gang fights, to armed robberies; officers can only react. Often times the split second between perceiving a dangerous situation and then reacting to it, is not enough time to think. You can only react, instinctively and hopefully the right response was made.
Current ballistic police shields available on the market are designed for special tactical and rescue teams and not the uniformed patrol officer. Thus, they are not designed for the unique situations officers respond to on a daily basis. They are large, bulky, not transparent, and don't have adequate lighting capabilities for the situations officers find themselves on during every shift of duty.
In summary, the problem is that our Uniformed Patrol Officers have never had any protective device that offered Ballistic, Edged Weapon, Explosive protection for their heads, faces and necks that was immediately available to them during the normal course of their daily duties. Note: (1) a growing segment of our society is educated, equipped and trained for the purpose of attacking our police officers, on a daily basis; (2) officers are now required to respond to Active Violent Incidents, immediately, where past practice was to wait for Specially Trained and Equipped Teams; (3) Ballistic vests are great, however they no longer provide adequate protections; and (4) the reactive nature of police work only allow for split second reactions to potentially deadly threats. These problems face every Law Enforcement Officer, Security Guard and First Incident Responder during every call, of every shift, during every day they are on patrol.
No one has attempted to solve the problem of providing a Ballistic, Explosive and Edged Weapons Resistant Protective Shield for Law Enforcement/First Incident Responders, which would be readily available for use during every shift, traffic stop, and call for service. Some have a window in them, and some have a light on them, however they are shields sold for use by special tactics, entry and rescue teams. Their use is not for patrol duty, but for special calls for service. Further, these shields do not address the problems of Edged Weapons, Explosive Devices or Incinerator/Flammable Devices Attacks.
No one has addressed the Uniformed Patrol Officer or Uniformed Security Guard that is on patrol and in need of immediate ballistic/edged weapon protection during their “routine” patrol duties with a protective device for their heads, faces and necks.
The present ballistic police shields are designed for Special Tactical and Rescue Teams, are not transparent, and fail to protect the officer's head, face or neck.
The ballistic “bunkers” or podiums are so heavy they have to be rolled into place, making them useless for everyday patrol duty.
The shields that have a window in them seriously reduce the field of vision, creating a dangerous situation for the officer and public, because the officer is unable to adequately see the entire threat.
The lighting provided on present ballistic shields is located on the outside of the shield, exposing them to attack. Without adequate lighting Officer's are unable to respond correctly.
Ballistic vests worn by Officers do not protect against attacks to their heads, faces or necks.
Prior solutions do not address the threats against edged weapons, explosive or incinerator/flammable device attacks.
The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems set forth above.